Lena's head was somewhere else. Cyrus was telling her this great story about something but her head was focused on that little project of hers for Martin's birthday. He's turning twenty-six tomorrow and her gift is still halfway done.

Iniwan niya iyon sa bahay para makipag-meet kina Cyrus at Julie. Pag-uusapan sana nila iyong tungkol sa shoot pero hindi nakarating si Julie. May emergency raw. Cyrus didn't seem pleased. Kahit naman siya. Si Julie ang ikakasal pero pinsan nito ang todo asikaso.

"You're not listening to me," puna ni Cyrus.

"Sorry." She took a sip of her milkshake. "You were saying?"

Cyrus shook his head. "Never mind."

"Sorry," pag-uulit niya. She has this habit of drifting away whenever she's not interested in the conversation.

"Pupunta ka ba bukas?"

"Saan?"

Blangko ang utak niya. Wala siyang ibang maisip kundi iyong regalong pagpupuyatan niya mamaya pag-uwi. They all reminded her that she could just buy Martin a gift. Pero syempre, papayag ba naman siyang hindi paghirapan ang regalo niya rito?

"Birthday ni Martin, di ba?"

Ah. Right. "Yeah."

"Sabay na tayo?"

"Pupunta ka?"

His eyebrows furrowed, as if she just asked him a stupid question. Kaibigan nga pala ito ni Martin. Hindi pa kasi niya nakikita ang dalawa nang magkasama sa isang lugar. Martin mentioned Cyrus a few times though.

"Sige, daan ka na lang sa bahay," bawi niya. "You have a car, right?"

Cyrus nodded. "You won't bring yours?"

Umiling siya. "I don't have a car."

She found it useless to learn how to drive considering na pwede namang mag-commute. Gastos pa sa gas at maintenance.

"Okay, then. I'll pick you up at six."

Alas seis y media ng gabi sila magkikita-kita sa isang restaurant. Lacey chose the venue, so she's pretty sure that she'll be required to wear something fancy. Mabuti na lamang at may isa siyang black dress na long-sleeved. It was body hugging and a bit short, but she has no other dress.

Si Lacey ang marami noon. Napakarami nitong damit kaya hindi na sila bumibili. Ibinibigay naman nito sa kanila kung ano ang kakasya. Kenna loves Lacey's dresses. Kaya ito ang tagasalo ng mga damit ng kapatid niya.

Iyong nag-iisang black dress lang (which is shorter for Lacey because she's taller) ang nagustuhan niya. The other dresses are too girly for her taste.

--

Nang makauwi si Lena ay agad niyang trinabaho ang regalo. It's a sculpture made of tiny nails that she twisted and assembled together. Ihuhulma niya iyon sa isang sikat na figure, iyong lalaking nakaupo habang nakapangalumbaba. The Thinker.

Nagustuhan ni Martin iyong una niyang gawa. But it was life-sized and was already sold to a rich man. Kaya ginagawan nya si Martin ng mini-version noon.

Masyado yata siyang naging tutok sa ginagawa kaya hindi niya namalayang pasado alas dos na pala ng madaling-araw. There's still more than a hundred nails to twist and assemble.

Bailey was already asleep on her bed. She got up from the floor and stretched. Hindi niya maalala kung kumain na ba siya, but she wasn't really feeling hungry. Itinabi na lamang muna niya ang ginagawa at saka siya naglinis ng katawan.

Then she crawled next to Bailey, na nagising naman agad. Sumiksik ito sa kanya saka umungot. She kissed the top of his head.

"Night, Bai."

--

Lena woke up the next morning with Bailey licking her face. Kinama niya ang phone habang itinutulak si Bailey palayo. She turned it on and checked the time. Napamura siya nang makitang mag-a-alas dose na ng tanghali.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" tanong niya sa alagang aso.

Bailey barked at her, as if he's trying to argue. Pero dahil wala na siyang oras, nagmadali siyang pumunta ng banyo para maghilamos. Nag-order siya ng pizza pagkatapos. There's no time to cook.

Pagkabigay niya ng tanghalian ni Bailey, bumalik na siya sa ginagawa.

Hours passed. Pabalik-balik si Bailey sa kanya para mangulit. He wanted to play ball. He wanted her to take him out for a walk, but there's no time.

Eksatong alas sais, dumating si Cyrus. He's wearing a baby blue shirt dress na pinatungan nito ng coat para magmukhang pormal. He paired it with a pair of black jeans and shoes.

"Why aren't you dressed?" he asked, frowning.

Pagkapasok kasi nito ay lumupagi ulit siya sa sahig para ipagpatuloy ang ginagawa. Just a few more nails and she's done...

"Sandali na lang 'to."

Mabuti naisipan niyang maligo kanina. She figured that she won't have time to take a bath later. Mapapasma rin ang kamay niyang nangingitim na ngayon dahil sa dami ng pakong hinawakan niya.

"Can you play with Bailey for a while?"

Bailey barked upon hearing his name. Medyo naging friendly na ito kay Cyrus dahil ilang beses na ring nagkikita ang dalawa. Cyrus found a tennis ball and threw it. Agad namang tumakbo si Bailey para kunin iyon.

It went on for God knows how long until she finally got up. Cyrus was feeding Bailey with dog biscuits in the living room.

"Anong oras na?"

Nilingon siya ng dalawa. "It's almost seven."

"Shit! Sorry! Late na tayo!."

"It's okay," he assured her.

Madalian niyang inilagay ang regalo sa isang wooden box (which she was able to purchase online ahead of time, thank God!). Naglinis siya ng kamay pagkatapos at saka nagbihis. The dress was shorter than she remembered so she put on a black dotted sheer hosiery and paired the dress with a pair of black combat boots. The buckles on her boots matched well with the metal shoulder caps of her dress. That's what she thought anyway. Lacey would frown again at her choice of wardrobe, for sure.

Naglagay siya ng kaunting makeup. Meaning, eyeliner, blush on and lipstick. Saka niya itinali ang buhok. There's no time to style it.

"Long-sleeves again?" Cyrus asked when she stepped out of her dressing screen.

"Wala akong ibang formal dress," she told him. He already asked why she only wears long-sleeved tops, but she's not ready to tell him yet. Or anyone, for that matter. They simply wouldn't understand.

"Are you done? Can we go now?"

When she nodded, inihabilin nila si Bailey sa kapitbahay at saka umalis.

--

Lena was right. Lacey chose another fancy restaurant for the celebration. It's owned by a certain Chef Ken and was exclusively opened that day for the party.

Agad siyang sinalubong ng mga magulang at kapatid pagkakita sa kanya. They're all in the same table. Si Lacey lamang ang wala.

"Where's Lace?" she asked.

"She's with Martin, entertaining the guests," her dad answered. Saka nito itinuon ang atensyon kay Cyrus. "Who's this?"

"Pinsan ng client ko, Dad. Si Cyrus. Friend din sya ni Martin. Sumabay lang ako pagpunta rito," tuloy-tuloy niyang paliwanag. Knowing her dad, it's best to just tell him everything before he could ask questions that will later embarrass her.

Ipinakilala niya si Cyrus sa mga kapatid bago ito umalis at pumunta sa mga kakilala nito. She placed her gift on the table. Ayaw niyang isama iyon sa ibang regalo dahil baka matangko lang ng ibang guest. It's very fragile. One drop and the whole thing is ruined. Kaya ingat na ingat siya.

"Hindi ka ba naiinitan, Lena? Naka-long-sleeves ka na naman."

"Ma, I'm fine."

Modelo talaga ng kasimplehan ang mommy niya. Her simplicity makes her look timeless. She's wearing an off shoulder dress and the littlest of makeup and the simplest jewelries, but she looks so expensive. It must be the color of the dress or the way everything she's wearing subtly works together. She couldn't figure it out.

Maya-maya pa ay nilapitan na sila nina Lacey. Martin gave her a big, brotherly hug. She could tell that he's excited with his gift. Kaya ibinigay na niya ito agad. Martin opened her gift at their table and was really ecstatic when he saw what it was.

"Wow! Ginawa mo talaga!" manghang-manghang sabi nito. That earned her another hug, tighter this time. "Thank you!"

He smelled so good. Nagulo yata ang daloy ng utak niya dahilsa amoy nito. She reminded herself that she's not allowed to hug him back. She will surely lose herself. It's just hard not to imagine being wrapped in his arms on a rainy day. Focus, Lena! she told herself.

"Magdamag nyang pinagpuyatan yan," singit ni Cyrus, suddenly appearing from somewhere.

"How did you know?" tanong naman ng daddy niya rito. Naniningkit ang mga mata nito.

"It's no big deal," she told Martin, ignoring her dad's question.

"Wala bang sasagot ng tanong ko?" Her dad was looking really annoyed now.

"Tawag yata tayo ni Ja." Her mom got up and pulled her dad away. Pinuntahan ng mga ito ang parents ni Martin na nasa kabilang table.

That's when she realized that Martin's still holding her. Kaya naman pala nananahimik si Lacey sa isang tabi. Umalis siya sa pagkakayakap nito at saka naupo sa tabi ni Nikola. Ngiting-ngiti sa kanya ang kapatid.

Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay. "What?"

Nikola shook his head. "Nothing," he answered, feigning innocence.

She pinched his nose. "Just eat your dinner."

--

A little while later, Lena got up from her seat to go to the powder room. When she found out that there's no one else inside, kinuha niya ang lipstick at eyeliner sa pouch at saka nag-retouch. She can't do this while someone's looking. Hindi kasi siya sanay mag-ayos.

She was putting on her eyeliner when the door opened and closed. Then she heard a soft click.

"Ikaw lang pala!" She was in the midst of putting her things back in the pouch when she saw Lacey. Nginitian niya ito. Lacey looked stunning in a baby pink dress. Everything about her was dainty and beautiful, kabaliktaran niya.

Lacey stood beside her. She looked upset.

"What's wrong?" tanong niya kahit medyo may ideya na siya kung ano.

"Martin loves your gift."

"I'm sure he loves yours more." She heard that Lacey gave him a pair of expensive shoes and an Hermés belt. Buti pa ang kapatid niya, maraming pambili ng mamahaling gamit.

"No," simangot nitong sabi. "Mas gusto nya 'yong iyo."

She sighed. "Lace, it's just a gift."

"Why did you have to make it? Pwede ka namang bumili na lang."

"Wala akong pera."

"You could have asked me for some!"

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. Lacey sounded upset.

"Lace, what's this about? Really?"

Lacey huffed. "I just... I just can't help but think that you like Martin, Ate."

"What?"

"Do you?"

"No!" tanggi niya. "Why would you think that?"

"Your gift--"

"Lace, it's just a gift," she repeated impatiently.

"But to think na pinagpuyatan mo 'yon..."

"I didn't have a choice. Hindi ko sya nagawa agad kaya nag-cram ako. But Martin asked for it. Matagal ko nang planong gawin 'yon, I just didn't have the time until yesterday," paliwanag niya. "I'm sorry if it made you upset. Wala namang kahulugan 'yon. Mabait lang sya sa 'kin that's why I feel indebted to him. And I thought that I could pay him back with that gift. So don't think about it too much, okay?"

Lacey was silent for a while, weighing in what she just said. Then finally, tumango ito.

"I'm sorry, Ate. I just wish that I could do something like that for him."

She touched her sister's cheek. There she was, wishing that she has enough money to buy expensive things and yet, kinaiinggitan din pala siya ng kapatid for the things that she could do.

"Sigurado naman akong naa-appreciate nya lahat ng ginagawa mo para sa kanya."

"I hope so." Lacey held her hand and smiled. "So, wala talaga? Hindi mo sya type?"

"God, no!" pagsisinungaling niya. "He's just like a brother to me."

"Then what about Cyrus?"

"What about him?"

"Ate, you look good together. Have you ever thought about dating him?"